Coincidence
by The Book Monster
Summary: Max and the flock have destroyed Itex, but is it for good? And who are their parents? Plus, were all the mutants really destroyed? ON PERMANENT HIATUS!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Max's POV

"Can't… feel… wings," Nudge panted.

I glanced back at the flock. Nudge was struggling to stay aloft, along with the Gasman, even though he was trying hard to keep a tough face. Angel, my baby (not literally mine, of course), looked like she was going pass out any second. Since Iggy, Fang, and I were older and stronger, we weren't having as much trouble as the younger kids. But I could tell that Iggy was hurtin'. I felt the same way as the rest of them. In fact, the only one who wasn't showing any sign of fatigue was Fang (of course). He didn't even seem to notice the extra weight of the sleeping Total in the baby-carrier on his back.

We had been flying for about eight hours straight now, right after only four hours of sleep and seven hours of flying the day before. Needless to say, we had to land, and soon.

I dipped and started scanning the landscape below. As the sun set down behind me, I tried to find the darkest stretch of land.

"Over there," Fang said. I turned to him and he gestured towards our right. I nodded.

"Ok, guys, we're going down!" A scattering of half-hearted cheers sounded from behind me. I aimed towards the lightless patch and heard the whooshing of five pairs of wings as the rest of the flock followed.

After dodging through some thick canopy, we landed (well, collapsed) in a secluded forest.

"Oh my God, I'm so tired! I mean, I could fall asleep right now without having anything to eat!" Gazzy exclaimed. Coming from him, or any one of us, really, that was saying something.

"Well, you're going to have to if you plan on coming with us. We have another day of this tomorrow," I said. The flock groaned.

_They're just kids, Max. Give them a rest._

I frowned. I thought Jeb would give up on being the Voice in my head, since I had found out he was the one going into my mind and giving me (unwanted) advice.

_Get out of my head, Jeb,_ I thought. _Now._

_Really, Max, I understand you're in a hurry to find the flock's parents and go back and see Dr. Martinez and Ella, but they won't be able to take another day of hard flying like that._

_Geez, Jeb, since when are you so straight-forward? I'm starting to miss your impossible riddles,_ I thought. _Oh, and this conversation is __over_ I added.

I leaned against a tree and fumed as the rest of the flock started getting dinner ready. Nudge silently prepared one of those foil packets she had learned how to make online. That fact that she wasn't talking at a thousand words a second proved just how tired she was.

Fang looked over at me and raised an eyebrow when he saw my furious scowl. If he asked me how I felt, I'd have to smack him. I was cranky before (I'm not exactly Little Miss Sunshine when I don't get enough sleep) and now I was even angrier at that stupid Voice/Jeb.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't give him a chance.

I stood up quickly. "I'm gonna look around and see if there's anything else around here." I stalked into the trees without waiting for a response.

As soon as I was out of earshot (specifically Iggy's earshot), I stopped and punched a tree hard. Unfortunately, it didn't help with my anger and now my hand hurt, too.

"I guess somebody's a little mad."

I gasped and nearly jumped out of my skin. "God, Fang! Could you give me a little warning before you scare me like that? You almost gave me a heart attack."

I looked at him. His face was hidden in the shadows so I couldn't see it all that well, but I could tell he was smirking. "Sorry." He came out from the gloom and took a few steps toward me.

I sighed, frustrated. "What do you want?"

"We should probably take a break tomorrow. The kids are wiped. Heck, I'm wiped!"

I was a little shocked that he admitted to being tired. I mean, this was Fang. He was like the mutant bird-kid equivalent of the Energizer Bunny. However, the surprise faded into irritation quickly. "Yeah, I know! I get it!" I snapped at him.

He raised an eyebrow. "God, go bite my head off, why don't you?" Fang took another step closer to me. "What's bugging you anyway?"

I sighed again. "Sorry. It's just that the Voice, I mean, Jeb started nagging me before."

He nodded with understanding. "So that's what the mad face for." He paused and then continued. "I still think we should rest tomorrow, though. If you want the kids to get to Germany in one piece, we should definitely not be pushing ourselves so hard."

Unfortunately, his annoying habit of being right about ninety-five percent of the time still held true and I was forced to agree with him. Jeb hadn't been lying when he said I was anxious to go see Mom and Ella again. I mean, the flock had always been my family and the most important people in my world, but now that I had a mom, things were different. I missed her and Ella and what it felt like to feel safe and secure for more than about twenty seconds at a time.

My anger dissipated and I leaned back against a tree and tried to stifle a yawn. I could feel the exhaustion of yesterday and today coming over me and I just wanted to lie down and fall asleep.

As usual, Fang seemed to know exactly what I was thinking and he put a hand on my shoulder. "Come on. Even if we are taking the day off tomorrow, you and I still need to get food for everyone else. You need to sleep."

I nodded slowly and let him lead me back to the camp. Everyone was still up, even though it looked like they were barely managing it. As soon as Fang and I walked in, they all held out their left hands. I smiled and we stacked fists, just like every other night for the last four years.

Soon everyone was asleep, except for me and Fang. He turned to me. "I'll take first watch. You just rest."

I yawned and decided to just do as he said for once. I lied down and turned over on my side. In a few seconds, I was fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey everybody!! This is chapter 2 of my first fic, so if u review, plz be nice. Also, I would really like to get some reviews for this story. I'll update it even if I don't, but it would be really great if I did. Oh, and no flames plz. Or if ur going to say the story stinks, tell me how I could improve it. Thanks!!**

** 3 : ) bookcrazy137**

Chapter 2

Morning came a little too soon if you ask me. Especially since I woke up to Total licking my face.

"Aww, that's nasty!" I said, pushing the dog away and wiping at my face with my sweatshirt.

Total ignored this. "Hey Max! Can you take me for a ride? Pretty pretty please?" he asked earnestly, giving me the dog equivalent to Bambi eyes.

I rolled my eyes and shifted to my other side. "No, Total. I'm tired and sore all over. I am not flying you anywhere!"

"Please?" he begged. "I'll be your best friend."

"Shut up and go back to sleep, Total."

He huffed with indignation. "How rude!" Then he turned and marched back over to Angel's sleeping form.

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep again, but I stayed awake. _Oh well, _I thought. I sat up and stretched and decided to get a head start on collecting food.

Something stirred in the trees behind us and I immediately stiffened, preparing myself to start whaling on whatever it was that was coming.

Fang stepped into the camp with a few dead rabbits slung over his shoulder. I relaxed. Lucky for him I was slow in my grogginess. I stretched and let out an almighty yawn.

He looked over at me and then back at the rabbits, which he was making quick work of skinning and cleaning.

"How long have you been up?" I asked him, averting my eyes from the gory pile in front of him.

He shrugged. "I don't know. About an hour, I guess." He fell silent and continued working.

I stood up and walked over to the circle of rocks in the middle of the camp and relit it. "Why didn't you wake me up for watch last night? You must be exhausted, sitting up half the night."

"Actually, more like two-thirds. Iggy fell asleep halfway through his turn," Fang replied, glaring in Iggy's direction.

"What!? How are you still even functioning? You definitely should've woken me up," I scolded.

Then he looked at me and smiled crookedly. "Please, you were tired enough last night to actually do what I told you to. You didn't even argue. At all. That _never_ happens."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. I'm not _that_ stubborn." It was obvious even to me that that was a complete lie.

Fang raised an eyebrow and then shook his head, still smiling slightly. He turned back to the rabbits.

I scowled at his back and then looked back at the fire and day-dreamed. I wondered if we really would find anything in Germany. We had destroyed Itex about a month ago, with the help of millions of Fang's loyal bloggers. However, I sincerely doubted that a company as powerful, as rich, and as absolutely nuts as Itex would be stopped simply by having its headquarters and hundreds of other buildings tore down. Some people had to have gotten away and were probably working to rebuild Itex and put the genocidal By-Half plan back into business. Those people would probably have some sort of information as to where the flock's parents. Chances were they were in Germany, somewhere close to the old headquarters, simply because that was where all there data was. That is, considering that the angry army of kids hadn't smashed the place into a pile of rubble.

I was completely lost in my thoughts, so I didn't realize someone was calling my name until something hit my head. "Ow!" I exclaimed, picking up the stick _someone_ had just thrown at me. I looked over at Fang, who was roasting a piece of rabbit meat. "What was that for?"

He looked at me innocently. "What? _I_ didn't do anything."

I glared at him, but he just ignored me and concentrated on his chunk of rabbit. I snorted and turned to wake up the rest of the flock.

I shook Iggy slightly and his eyes opened. "Hey, Igs, time to wake up. It's morning."

He groaned and swatted my hand away. "What do you mean 'it's morning?' It's still dark out," he mumbled sleepily.

"Ha ha, very funny. Come on. You have to get up if you want to eat. Unless, of course, you want me to get Gazzy to wake you up…"

He bolted up and grabbed a stick and piece of rabbit from Fang. "No need to go to such drastic measures," he said, wide awake.

I chuckled and moved on to the others. They woke up reluctantly, not to mention very slowly. Total licked Angel's face and chatted to her and the still partially unconscious Gasman about nothing in particular. Nudge sat up, yawned, and stretched.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked blearily.

"Rabbit," I replied. I love Nudge, I really do, but my favorite time of day to be around her is in the morning when she has just gotten up and is fairly untalkative. Otherwise, she can be a pretty big headache.

She made a face, but began roasting a piece over the fire anyway. When you're out in the middle of nowhere with hardly any food, you'll eat just about anything.

We were all quiet for a few minutes, as we cooked our breakfasts, but soon the Nudge channel was up and fully functional.

"Ugh. Rabbit is so gross. Especially when you know it was hopping around just this morning. I guess it isn't as bad when you just see it as meat and not when it's a bunny, though. It's also a lot better than lizard. I still don't like it, though. But we still have to eat a lot of it 'cause we're going to be flying all day and we need the energy or else we'll pass out or something. Right?"

We all nodded and pretended to be paying attention. I was only really half-listening. The other half was, you guessed it, day-dreaming.

"Actually, we're going to be taking a break today. Right, Max?" Fang said, looking at me.

I jolted when I heard my name. "Huh? What?"

Fang smirked. "I said, we're going to be taking a break today."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess." The rest of the flock cheered.

"Thank God!" Nudge exclaimed. "Yesterday, I was so so so tired. I fell asleep, like, in two seconds. I didn't even notice there was a rock under where I was sleeping until I woke up…" She rambled on and on about how she was lucky the rock was small and wasn't sharp and other random, useless stuff.

Iggy turned in my direction and asked, "So if we're not flying today, what are we doing?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever you want I guess."

A smile crept across Iggy's face and he glanced over at Gazzy, who was also smiling.

Angel looked at them. "I don't think Max would like that. It would make her mad." She turned to me. "Right, Max?"

I scowled at Iggy and Gazzy. "If you're talking about making bombs, then yes, I would definitely _not_ like that. So you can do whatever you want, _except_ make explosives."

Their faces fell and they both took bites from their rabbit chunks. Gazzy looked like he was concentrating on chewing the tough meat while Iggy was muttering something under his breath.

"That's not very nice," Angel scolded. Iggy swallowed and stuck his tongue out in her general direction. She rolled her eyes. "Wow, that was _so_ mature."

I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing at this little exchange. Having a mind reader in the group was usually pretty interesting.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The rest of our day off was pretty uneventful, except for the occasional chase through the trees when I caught Iggy and the Gasman trying to sneak bomb-making materials into the woods.

Nudge kept talking about… well, actually, I can't really say what she was talking about. I wasn't listening. Angel and Total alternated between playing tag and hide-and-go seek. Of course, Angel dominated in both because a) she could fly away before Total even got a chance to jump thirty feet in the air and b) she could read his mind and find out where he was hiding.

Needless to say, Total got tired of this pretty quickly (sore loser) and kept on begging me to go take him flying. After I said no about twenty times, he finally got the message and stalked off to Nudge, who was willing. I think Total regretted it, though. I mean, I've had Nudge around practically my entire life and I can still barely stand listening to her and only her for ten minutes. Total had to endure for twenty.

Fang and I discussed plans over and over again for when we got to the coast. Sneaking six mutant kids _and_ a talking dog onto an airplane is extremely difficult, for any one who hasn't tried it. Even with a mind-controlling six-year-old.

"All right," I said. "So first, we sneak past security."

"In other words, get Angel to make it so they conveniently forget that we're six minors with a dog and let us through without checking us for weapons," Fang added. Then he glared at Iggy and Gazzy, who were whispering to each other conspiratorially. "You know what's kind of ironic? We'll probably be going in with the more explosives than anyone else in that airport and we'll be the only people who don't have to go through the metal detectors."

"Hopefully," I said, fighting back a smile. I got serious again. "After we get past security, we- "

"We hide in a luggage car, have Angel distract the drivers for a second, sneak into the baggage area, and stay completely quiet for twelve hours straight," Fang interrupted, sounding and looking bored and uninterested. Shocker. He looked at me, scowling. "Tell me again why we can't just have Angel mind-control us a few seats in first class? It would be a heck of a lot less complicated, not to mention ten times more comfortable."

I made sure Angel wasn't around and sighed. "Because," I whispered. "I don't want her to get used to using the mind-control thing to get whatever she wants, even if it makes life easier for us. Besides," I added in a louder voice. "You saw what the website said. Every flight for the next few days is booked. I don't want to steal anyone's seat. Airplane tickets these days are expensive."

Fang rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm pretty sure us getting to Germany and destroying what's left of Itex is more important then somebody's business trip to Paris."

I couldn't think of anything to say as a come-back, because, of course, he just _had_ to be right. God, that was really getting to be a pain in the neck. "Whatever," I finally said, and turned away.

"I'm going to go get lunch," he said, standing up and walking away.

"Fine," I replied, but he was already gone.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Before any of us knew it, we were in our respective spots and ready to go to bed. Iggy had first watch, Fang had second, and I had last.

We stacked fists and got comfortable. Before the flock fell asleep, I said, "Ok guys, rest up. Tomorrow, we fly."

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A/N: Ok here's chapter 3!! Sorry its so short. It was going to be longer, but I thought you guys would probably like it better if I just got on with the story. Don't worry, chapter 4 is much more interesting and will be coming out at least by Friday. Oh and I'd like to thank SkyeLeigh44 for the review. Come on guys, keep the reviews coming! A review makes me happy, and when I'm happy, the story is better. Don't you want a good story? Yeah, I thought so.

Alrightly, laterz!!!

3bookcrazy137 3


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke the flock up and got them ready quickly, ignoring the kids' whining and Iggy's muttering (which was probably not exactly singing my praises, according to the shocked look on Angel's face when ever she turned to look at him).

We eventually took off, heading for the closest airport. I was hoping to get to the airport today and sneak onto the plane tomorrow, but that was if everything went well and without a hitch. Unfortunately, we're pretty much hitch-magnets.

That was why I was surprised when we made it past lunch without a single problem. Not even little ones, like Gazzy letting one loose. Being a strong believer in the saying that if you don't get a lot of small problems, you're a sitting duck for a giant, whopper problem, I was wary.

And that is why I wasn't surprised when I felt a sudden tingling on the edges of my senses. We were flying at a lower altitude than I was usually comfortable because the clouds were thick today.

Immediately after getting the feeling, I heard sounds of a struggle from below. I looked down and immediately regretted. Below us, I could see an older woman getting mugged in a deserted street with my raptor vision. My internal impulse to save people turned on and I had the sudden, almost irresistible desire to go down and help the woman flooded over me.

I looked up and tried to take my mind off of the scene below. Glancing back, I saw that the rest of the flock still hadn't noticed it yet. The woman called out for help.

_No, Max, you have to concentrate on the flock and _their_ problems,_ I thought. The urge to dive down and help the person grew stronger.

Fang noticed my sudden tenseness. He followed my gaze down and concentrated for a moment. He frowned fiercely. "No."

"I'll just be a little while. And hour at the most, just to help her and then cover things up," I pleaded. And if you don't know by now, it takes a heck of a lot to make me plead.

He seemed a little surprised at my begging, but he still held strong. He shook his head. "No way, Max. We have a mission and you have a responsibility to the flock."

Now it was my turn to frown. He didn't need to tell me that. I was the leader, for crying out loud! Besides, an hour wouldn't kill him. He would just have to get some patience and deal with it.

I dove downward. "If I don't catch up to you guys in an hour and a half, stop somewhere and email your location to me. I'll find a way to a computer I can use somewhere," I called back.

His normally passive face was furious now. "Maximum Ride, don't you dare-"

I zoomed down before he could finish speaking. _Don't worry, lady, _I thought. _I'll be there in a sec._

I banked to the right so that the woman and the mugger wouldn't see me. Then I landed behind a building. I tucked my wings in tight against my back and covered them with a windbreaker.

The sounds of the mugging came to my ears and I ran in that direction, looking around and checking for any one who might be around and get suspicious of a fourteen-year-old girl kicking a full grown man's butt from here to next Tuesday. Surprisingly, there was no one. _Where is everyone?_ I thought. I shrugged the thought off. _Must be a really small town._

Finally, I reached an alley that opened into the street. The woman looked like she was in her forties and seemed to be in pretty good shape. She was definitely doing pretty good against a guy who was about twice her height and half her age. She was even getting in a few good punches at his face.

However, it was obvious who the victor was going to be if this lasted any longer. And who would walk away a lot worse for wear.

I stepped out of the alley into the street. The lady didn't seem to notice me as she was struggled in the man's grasp. The man turned his ugly mug to face me and his snarl turned into a wicked smile.

"Oh, well it looks like a Girl Scout's come to your rescue, huh, grandma?" he snarled. The woman looked at me with fearful eyes and then pushed at the mugger.

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" I replied. I quickly tried to think of a good witty remark to throw at him, but my adrenalin was pumping now and all I could think of was a fight. I crouched and prepared myself to leap at him.

He saw this and laughed out loud. "So, you wanna fight, do ya?" He let go of the woman and she began to run off. Then, she remembered that she was leaving a kid to fight in her place. She looked back at me, gesturing for me to run. I smiled at her and shook my head. Reluctantly, she turned and sprinted down the street to a part of the town that probably was populated.

The mugger took a step towards me, sneering and cracking his knuckles. "I usually don't hit little kids, unless they're really bugging me. Especially cute little girls."

Was it me, or was he implying that girls are weaker than boys? Oh, now I was mad. I smirked. Poor sucker didn't know what was coming for him.

He ran towards me like a football player about to tackle someone and would have smacked me in the face with one of his giant shoulders if I didn't dodge at the last second.

The mugger stumbled forward a few steps and then whipped around to face me. Ooh, he was mad now. If I had boots, I would have been quaking in them. _Not._ I grinned and glared at the same time.

He was just about to try and jump at me when suddenly, out of no where, a giant black and red blur took him down.

Right before he went down, the mugger looked as surprised as I felt. Then, that surprise turned into fear as he hit the asphalt.

My jaw dropped and I gaped when I saw what exactly the blur was.

A monstrous black dog that looked like some sort of mastiff-pit bull mix was standing on top of the mugger, growling and snarling ferociously. This thing was huge, about ten times the size of Total. And I got the feelings it was probably about a hundred times meaner.

Of course, the overall scariness of this bear-dog that seemed to come out of thin air was offset a little by the fact that it was wearing a baggy read sweatshirt and black sweatpants.

I wondered if those years of experimentation at the School and then the years of running after escaping that place were finally getting to me.

The dog leaped off of the mugger and barked loudly at him until he got up and scurried away, crying for his mother (literally). I stepped away from it, ready to rip of the windbreakers, whip my wings out, and do an up-and-away if it came after me.

It looked at me, but it wasn't a dinner-time kind of look. In fact, the dog's eyes were almost… human. It seemed to be intelligent. Then it turned and ran into the alley I had come in from.

Of course, being the genius I am, I decided to follow it. Silently, I walked to the edge of the street and flattened myself against the front of a deserted a building. I slid across the wall and peeked into the alley way.

There was the dog, easily visible in its bright red sweatshirt. It was walking slowly, warily. It looked around and then stopped, probably assuming it was alone.

Then, the dog's shape blurred and morphed. I immediately tensed, thinking of the Erasers. What was going on?

Suddenly, the dog stretched out and became… a girl.

I gasped loudly and clapped a hand over my mouth. _Maybe she's friendly_.

The girl whipped around and stared at me. She crouched down and got ready to attack.

_I'll take that as a no._

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**Hello those of you who are still reading this story. See, I told you something happens!! By the way, I NEED REVIEWS!!! I can't make the story any better unless I get them. Besides, they make this whole thing that much more fun (or is it funner?- ah, who cares?). Well, just to make sure I get some sort of feed back, I won't post chapter 5 until I get atleast three reviews. GASP!! Don't worry, its just three little reviews. Thanks for reading!!!**

** 3bookcrazy137 3**


	5. Chapter 5

**ok, well i thought i should do this since i really dont want to get sued. i don't own the maximum ride series. if i did, well, i would be a heck of a lot richer and probably doing something else with my time. so consider this officially disclaimed**

* * *

Chapter 5

I took a step back, and then another. Normally, I would have stood my ground and fought, especially since this girl was a good five inches shorter than me. However, normally, people don't change into giant black dogs. How was I supposed to know she couldn't change into something a little more lethal, like, I don't know, a rogue elephant?!

"Who are you?" she growled, not relaxing her stance.

"Why should I tell you?" I replied, narrowing my eyes. I may have been concerned, but not _scared_. Even if she did turn into some dangerous animal, I could always fly away.

The girl seemed slightly surprised then. She loosened up a bit. "Why aren't you running away?" she asked, all of the malice in her voice replaced by curiosity.

I blinked. Did she think she was that intimidating? She was only 5'3", for crying out loud. I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Oh please! You're not scary! I could beat you with one hand behind my back," I bluffed.

She looked at me in disbelief. "I was a dog about five minutes ago. Doesn't that freak you out _just a little_?"

I shrugged. She did have a point. Most people would run and scream in the other direction if they saw a giant dog take down a full grown and most-likely armed man and then turn into a little girl. Of course, I wasn't like most people, seeing that I had spent the better part of my childhood in a laboratory surround by sick twisted white-coats and their experiments. "It takes a lot to surprise me," I said simply.

The girl raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms across her chest. "No kidding," she muttered. Then she smiled brightly. "I'm Cory. What's your name? You don't really have to tell me, since you probably don't trust me. But you could give me a fake name at least so that I have something to call you?"

Now it was my turn to look surprised. Well, at least more surprised than before. This girl, Cory, looked like someone who had been on the run. From the extreme tattered and ragged state of her clothes, she had been running for a long time. So she should have known the first rule of being on the run: never trust anyone. Especially someone who can kick your butt.

The first word that flashed through my paranoid mind was "trap." But there was something about her face, something trust-worthy and… familiar. "I'm Max. And that's my real name."

Cory smiled brightly and walked up to me and held out her hand. I shook it. "It's nice to meet someone as weird as me, Max. I never thought I'd meet another experiment. I came from the School in the Death Valley. How about you?"

I gaped at her for a second, and then forced out a nervous laugh. "Um, what do you mean 'experiment?' I'm just a normal girl, just a little tougher than most."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, you know. I'm not blind, either. You have fricken' wings sticking out of your back, for God's sake!"

What? I wiggled my wings a little and, sure enough, they were unfurled. I groaned. I must have spread them out without realizing it when I was getting ready to fly away from Cory.

Cory giggled when she saw my reaction. "You honestly didn't notice?"

I shook my head, feeling a little embarrassed and just a little dumb. Okay, maybe more than a little. At least Fang wasn't here. That suddenly reminded me. "Oh crap!" I yelled.

Cory jumped at my sudden outburst and then looked around nervously. "What? Is something wrong?"

Ignoring her, I smacked myself in the head. Stupid! How could I forget? It had definitely been more than two hours now and Fang was probably wishing he had a Max voodoo doll he could stab pins into.

"Max?" Cory said, a tinge of concern in her voice.

I sighed with frustration and looked at her. "It's nothing. Well, actually, yeah, it's something. A pretty big something that I totally forgot about and will probably get my head bitten off for sometime in the near future."

She looked confused. "Um, okay…. Do you need any help?"

"No, no, you-" Then I remembered that I really had no clue where anything in this town was. Maybe she would know. "Yeah, I do need some help. Do you happen to know where I can get access to a computer and the Internet?"

She thought for a second and then nodded. "There's a library in town. It's only a few blocks from here. Come on." She turned and walked down the street.

I ran to catch up with her, pulling on my windbreaker, and eventually, we were walking side-by-side. "How long have you been here exactly?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. About a week, I guess. I kinda lose count of the days, you know?" she said, smiling.

I nodded. I personally didn't even know what day of the week it was.

Soon, we came into a populated portion of town, though it was obvious that this place was pretty empty. We kept walking and made a few turns, not saying much about anything in particular. You'd think that two mutant kids would have a lot in common to talk about, but that apparently wasn't the case.

Cory stopped in front of an old, rickety-looking building. "Here we are."

I eyed it critically. "Make sure not to blow on it. It might fall over." Great. It would be bad enough being stuck in an enclosed space with other people, but the fact that the building looked like it was about ready to collapse made it all about ten times worse.

She smiled sympathetically. "I understand. I've been in a human-avian shape before and I get the whole claustrophobia thing." She shuddered. "I guess being in a laboratory and being experimented on at the same time didn't really help the feeling, either."

"No, it doesn't," I said, shaking my head softly.

Cory's mood quickly brightened. "Well, we should get going now. You probably don't want to waste any more time with whatever you need to do." She grabbed my arm and practically dragged me into the library.

Before sitting down and claiming one of the old, out-dated computers, I looked around to make sure that the ancient librarian wasn't anywhere nearby. The hacking I would have to do to get access to the Internet without a card was very minor, but I still didn't think she would be thrilled if she caught me doing it.

Cory watched with slight interest as I worked at getting through the computer's security. I got in pretty easily and immediately logged on to my email account. Sure enough, there was an email about a half-hour old waiting for me.

**From: Fang**

**To: Max**

**Subject: Location**

**We're at a cave about an hour east from where you left. Get here quick if you know what's best for you.**

I mentally stuck my tongue out at Fang. What was with the "if you know what's best for you" crap? He was probably still ticked that I had left them.

"You're going east? So am I!" Cory exclaimed from over my shoulder.

I jumped. I had forgotten she was there. "Really? Why?"

A wistful smile came over her face. "That's where my parents are."

My eyes widened. How did she know where her parents were? Maybe she had information on the rest of our parents!

As if she read my mind, she said, "The white-coat who was in charge of me back at the School went crazy with guilt. I'm surprised more of them didn't. She helped me escape and also gave me my parent's addresses before she went into the desert to live in the wild." Cory shook her head at the memory. "That lady sure was a kook. But she also taught me how to play guitar and stuff so that I could make money. She got rid of my tracking device, too, so I guess I should be thankful for her."

Finally! An explanation!

_Caroline West,_ Jeb said in my head. I gasped with shock and then scowled. Why did he always have to show up at the strangest times?

_Who's Caroline West?_ I asked. _An old friend, maybe?_

_Not exactly. She was the woman Cory is talking about. We were partners for a little while, but certain… circumstances changed that. But Cory is right: she was completely insane. Brilliant, but insane. She had a totally unstable personality._

I was growing impatient with his rambling. _And you decided to invade my brain to say this because…?_

_Just thought you might be curious._

My scowl deepened. Then I remembered Cory and turned to her. She was looking at me strangely.

"Uh, Max… are you all right?" she asked warily.

I smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little… inconvenience, that's all."

"Oh, okay," she said looking a little confused. We were both quiet for a moment. Then, she broke the silence and asked, "Since we're going in the same direction, I was wondering if maybe I could come with you? I completely understand if you would rather go alone. I mean, I'm pretty much a total stranger who just happens to be a fellow recombinant life-form."

I laughed and nodded my head. "You can come. I'm pretty sure my friends would want to meet you." Fang would be even madder, but he was a big boy. He could deal with it.

Cory's eyes widened and she smiled happily. "Really? That's great! Come on, let's go!"

I barely had time to turn off the computer and get it back to where it was before I tampered with it before Cory grabbed my hand and dragged me out the door (again). She led me to the empty part of town again and disappeared into an alley way. She came out with what looked like a guitar case.

"Okay, I just have to morph and I'll be ready to go," she said cheerily, practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"What's that for?" I asked, gesturing towards the guitar.

"Oh, this?" she said, lifting it up slightly so that I could see it better. "I told you, this is how I make money. I go to hotels and small towns like this and do shows in exchange for a place to stay for the night and a meal."

"Cool." She smiled again and then handed me the guitar case.

"Could you hold this for a sec? I don't want to drop it while I change." I nodded and she closed her eyes, concentrating. A gasp bubbled up to my lips when her outline blurred and reshaped itself, but I held it back this time. This change wasn't as dramatic as before and in a few seconds, she was done.

I blinked, surprised. She looked pretty much the same as before. The only differences were that she was taller and her frame seemed a little more delicate. Oh, not to mention the big black wings that suddenly appeared on her back.

"Whoa." Genius, Max. Absolute genius.

She laughed at my shock and took her guitar back, slinging it over her shoulder and adjusting it so that it wouldn't get in the way of her new wings. "Ready?"

I shook my head so that I could snap out of it and then nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Without another word, we both jumped into the air and began making our way east.

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**Alright, here's chapter 5. Ok, I kno i said I wouldn't update until I got three reviews and I only got one, but I decided that I was going to update anyways. So, come on guys! Throw me a bone! Just a few reviews, that's all I ask! Pwease: ( Aw, great, now I'm begging. Well, until chapter 6...**

**3bookcrazy137 3**


	6. Chapter 6

**so sorry i took so long!!! i might take a little less time tho if i got some reviews, tho... well, prbly not seeing as i was just being lazy, but hey, u never kno... : ) well, this is a short chapter. hope to have seven by monday at the very latest. o and in case u haven't guessed, i don't own maximum ride. but i really wish i did cuz that would mean i would own iggy AND fang. u kno wat, i like that idea. im gonna have to start trying to find a way to get the series from james patterson (if anyone has any suggestions for an evil plan, im totally open to suggestions)**

**3bookcrazy137 3**

* * *

Chapter 6 

Unfortunately, when Fang said the cave was only about and hour's flight away, he didn't factor Cory in (obviously). She may have had the wings, but she didn't have the years of practice the flock and I had.

It took her about fifteen minutes to flap her wings in a steady rhythm, and then another ten to figure out that the steady rhythm she had decided on was way too fast. Eventually, after about thirty minutes, she seemed to be doing fine, though she was still going painfully slow.

As much as I would love to annoy Fang by being late, I was really anxious for the flock. I didn't like being separated from them for too long.

Cory seemed to notice that I was on edge and she smiled apologetically. "Sorry. It's been a while since the last time I flew. I prefer walking. When I fall, the ground is right under me. In the air, the ground is about two miles below me."

I chuckled despite my nerves. "I guess I'm used to it. I love to fly. Everyone in my flock does."

Her eyes widened, as if she had just remembered something. "Oh, yeah, the email from that Fang guy said there were more of you. What are they like?"

I described the flock to her. She giggled when I told her about how the Gasman got her name and she was in awe of Angel's powers. She also asked a lot of questions about Iggy and how he got around, being blind and all. I explained about his super-sensitive hearing and how I was always most comfortable when Iggy was on watch.

When I had finished, she sighed and her expression became wistful. "It must be nice, having a family. Well, at least one that you have actually grown up with. I had a twin brother. He was kidnapped and experimented on, too. I think he was a bird-kid like you and the rest of the flock."

I frowned. "I didn't know there were any other…" Then I realized she had said that she _had_ a twin brother. I reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry."

She smiled again, but it was sad. "It's ok. We really never met. The white-coats just told me I had a brother. They also told me that he had 'expired due to adverse effects during testing.' In other words, they killed him when they screwed up one of their sick experiments."

I didn't really have anything to say to that. I mean, it was an awkward subject, even though I knew better than most people what it felt like to lose someone you cared about to sicko scientists. I thought briefly about Ari and then pushed the picture of his broken body out of my mind. I needed to distract myself before I got all teary eyed.

I broke the silence and asked something I had actually been curious about. "You said you were in the Death Valley School. That's the same one the flock and I are from. You should've been in our test group, right?"

She shrugged. "I don't know a lot about that. I guess I might've been separated from the rest of you because they experimented on me differently. I was also really sick when I was a baby, right before they planned on messing around with my DNA. I know I was isolated for the first month or so while I was getting better so that I wouldn't get my brother sick. Maybe they just decided to keep us separate."

I nodded. "That makes sense."

Cory didn't say anything else after that, and neither did I. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence like before.

We flew at Cory's slow, but fairly steady pace for about another hour. I guessed that we were about twenty minutes from the cave. It took all my self control to keep myself from flying at super-speed to get there.

"Oh!" Cory exclaimed.

I jumped and looked around to see if there was anything coming to attack us. Even with my raptor vision, I couldn't see any threats nearby. I turned my head towards Cory. "What's wrong?"

"I just remembered. I have a picture of my brother from when he was like, eight. Do you want to see it?" If it was possible to do in midair, she would be jumping with excitement.

I shrugged. "Sure."

As she stuffed a hand in her pants pocket, she said, "He looks just like me, just taller and more masculine, of course. Oh, and the wings. That's kind of a big difference. Well, not right now I guess, but- ha, there it is!" She pulled out a folded photo that looked like it had been opened and reopened many times. "Here," she said, handing it to me.

I began to unfold it, she warned, "Don't drop it." I smiled at her reassuringly. However, when I finally got that picture opened, I was so surprised that that's what I very nearly did.

* * *

**ok, for those of u who just read this and are groaning and thinking 'no, not another random-sibling-of-the-flock-appears-out-of-nowhere cliche!' there is a twist. i dont think i specified this, but cory can change the way she looks as a human. for example, she can make herself look like, say, the long lost twin sister of our favorite strong and silent type. hate to ruin the surprise, but i didn't want anyone to freak out and stop reading. u would find out in the next chapter anyways. i'm sorry about the confusion. SO PUT THE PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES DOWN PPL!!!**

** 3bookcrazy137 3**


	7. Chapter 7

**yes, i kno i'm a horrible person. i said i would update yesterday, but i've got this weird bug that's been going around (and no it's not procrastination for u jokers out there) and have been feeling pretty crappy. okay, and maybe a little bit of procrastination too. well, i'll try and get chapter 8 in soon so don't hurt me. o and in case u haven't guessed, im not james patterson and therefore do not own maximum ride, though i do claim rights to cory and my plot. well, r&r!**

** 3bookcrazy137 3**

* * *

Chapter 7

I remembered when the picture had been taken. It was right before Angel had joined, so Fang and I were about eight. It was during the spring and Fang and I were outside during one of our rare exercise periods. I saw Jeb take out the camera in time and was able to get out of the shot (mostly). However, Fang ended up smack dab in the middle.

I glanced over at Cory and then back at the old photo of Fang. I didn't know how I had missed it before. I mean, Cory could be Fang if he shrunk a few inches, grew out his hair, oh, and she actually _smiled_.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, uh, actually – " I began.

_Don't believe her, Maximum Ride!_ Jeb screamed in my head.

I almost dropped the picture – again – and grabbed my head with my free hand. _Geez, say that a little louder why don't you!_ I complained. What did he want _now_?

_Don't trust her, Max_, Jeb said again. _I was suspicious before, but now I'm _positive _she's lying._

I let out an exasperated sigh. Cory looked at me curiously. "Something wrong?"

I shook my head. _Look, Jeb, I see no reason _not _to trust Cory. I mean, it's pretty obvious she's Fang's sister. I mean, look at her! She's practically a girl clone of him._

I heard what sounded like an angry sigh in my head. _Max, please, _please _listen to me, just this once. Cory is a spy!_

I mentally snorted. _Right, whatever Jeb. Ignore the evidence. I'm going to use my own judgment, which has yet to fail me too much, and trust her, whether you like it or not. _

_You're going to regret it, Maximum Ride._

_Wow. I'm so scared. _But I had the feeling he had already left.

"Are you sure you're okay, Max?" Cory asked again.

I smiled brightly at her. "Actually, I'm great," I lied. I was pretty mad, but I didn't really want to freak Cory out with the whole Voice/Jeb thing. Then I took a deep breath. "Hey Cory, you know Fang, the one I told you about?"

Cory nodded. "So what about him?"

"Well," I continued. "This is a picture of Fang and I – well, my foot – when we were eight."

I expected her jaw to drop or for her to fall out of the sky with shock, but instead, she seemed to take the news pretty calmly. _Almost too calmly,_ my paranoid side said. I immediately pushed that thought out of my head.

A big smile spread across her face. "Really? That's amazing! So that means I'm going to meet my brother?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. And pretty soon. We'll be there in about five minutes."

Cory clapped her hands with delight. We continued flying in silence, the smile never leaving her face.

_She's definitely related to Fang,_ I thought. _Only someone in his gene pool would deal with finding a long-lost twin so coolly. _I tried to imagine Fang's face when we told him about Cory. I gave up after a few versions of shock and joy. They just didn't look right on his face.

"Hey, is that the cave he was talking about?" she asked, pointing towards a dark spot on the side of rock face.

"I'm pretty sure," I answered. The rock face was completely surrounded by forest and it didn't look like anyone lived within a ten mile radius of the place. _Nice job, Fang. _

We swooped down to the cliff face. I signaled for Cory to wait somewhere where she wouldn't be seen from the mouth of the cave. She nodded, her smile becoming mischievous as she turned.

I dropped into the cave and landed gracefully on the dirt floor. "Hi guys," I said smiling innocently. I did the best I could to keep my mind occupied so that Angel wouldn't read my thoughts and ruin the surprise.

Fang stomped towards me, his usually calm, inexpressive features furious. "What the heck do you think you were doing? Can you even comprehend how stupid that was?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm here, aren't I?" Fang opened his mouth to say something else, but I held up a hand to stop him. "On the way here, I met someone I thought you guys would like to meet, especially you, Fang." I began singing "It's a Small World" as loud as I could in my head.

Angel looked at me oddly, along with Fang.

"Who?" Iggy and the Gasman asked at the same time.

I smiled again and then turned to the mouth of the cave and shouted, "Hey, you can come out now."


	8. Chapter 8

**hey everyone!! so sorry it took so long to update. u can blame my particularly bad case cps (chronic procrastination syndrome). ill really try to update faster, but im not making any promises. dont flame me too much for taking so long, and sorry this chapter isnt that great. o and if u havent guessed by now, i dont own the maximum ride series, tho i do claim ownership of cory and any other characters i might throw in...**

** 3bookcrazy137 3**

* * *

Chapter 8

There was a whoosh as Cory swooped into the cave. The rest of the flock gasped I complete shock while she smiled shyly.

"Um, hi," she said. "I'm Cory."

I looked at Fang to see his reaction. However, when I saw his face, I took an involuntary step back. He was glaring at me with such ferocity, I wouldn't have been surprised if he leapt for my throat right that second.

"What were you thinking?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "How could you bring a _stranger_ here?"

I scowled and crossed my arms. "But she's just like us!" I argued.

"Oh," Cory exclaimed. "I forgot." She closed her eyes as her form reshaped itself to its original appearance.

There was another gasp. I saw Nudge back away a few feet. "Well, she's kind of like us," I added.

Fang shook his head angrily. "That makes it even worse! It means she comes from the School!" We all flinched involuntarily when he said it. "How do you know she's not a spy?" He turned his glare towards her.

Cory squirmed uncomfortably, looking at everything but Fang. "I guess I should tell you the whole story."

I nodded. "Good idea."

She bit her lip and then took a deep breath. "Well, it all started a few weeks ago…"

The flock listened to Cory's story intently while I watched their reactions. Obviously, they all seemed to be taken completely by surprise when she finally got to the part when she found out that Fang was her brother.

I had expected that to make Fang loosen up a bit, but it didn't. Instead, he looked like he was suspicious, like he hadn't believed a single word she said. I could have smacked him. All the evidence was there! And there was nothing wrong with her story. Considering our circumstances, discovering that he had a sister subjected to the same torture he had been was completely plausible. But no. He always had to be Mr. Skeptic.

_Hey, Max?_ a small voice said in my head.

I smiled and looked over at Angel. _Hi sweetie._ I noticed the confused and slightly frightened look on her face. _Are you okay?_

She nodded slightly. _I guess…_

_Then what's wrong?_

_There's something weird about Cory, _she said (or thought).

I frowned. _What do you mean? Is she thinking something weird?_

Angel shook her head, her blond curls hitting her in the face as they flopped around. _No. Actually, that's the problem. I _can't _read her thoughts. She's blocking me, just like Jeb did._

I blinked a few times and then looked around to make sure that no one had noticed Angel's and mine silent conversation. Fang was too busy glaring and Iggy, of course, couldn't see us anyway. However, Nudge and the Gasman were looking from me to Angel, their eyes full of questions. I smiled at them reassuringly and they turned back to Cory.

I looked back at Angel. _Are you sure?_

She nodded. _Yes. And there's something about her that gives me the creeps._

I let out a small sigh, which earned me a look from both Fang and Iggy. They quickly looked back at Cory who was finishing up her story. _I'm sure you're just imagining it, Angel. I wouldn't be surprised if the people at the School taught all of the mutants to block minds. We were probably just skipped because we had you._

This didn't seem to comfort Angel, but she bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. I smiled and she gave me a small, somewhat anxious smile in return.

"And that's it," Cory said, finally done.

No one spoke for a few seconds. I could almost sense the tension in the air, probably because Fang's dark mood hadn't lifted in the slightest.

"Can I see that picture?" he asked warily.

Cory nodded quickly and seemed relieved. She obviously didn't notice that he was testing her story. She grabbed the picture out of her pocket and cheerfully handed it to Fang.

He stared at it for a few seconds, his eyebrows knitting together. I leaned towards him, waiting for him to finally accept the truth. Instead, he shook his head and handed it back.

"If you really are from the School, then anyone could have given you that. It doesn't prove anything," he said, glancing sternly at me.

I crossed my arms across my chest and looked away. Darn. He was right. Stupid Fang logic. But still, anyone who looked at Cory could see that she was related to Fang. _The poor kid. She finally finds her twin brother and all he can do is be suspicious._ I quickly examined her face to see if she looked disappointed or upset. Instead, she seemed nervous and worried. _That's weird._ I shrugged and decided to drop it.

"Max." I looked up and saw Fang standing in front of me, his angry expression replaced by an emotionless mask. "I have to talk to you, just for a second."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and nodded, following him to the back of the cave while everyone else stayed up near the front and asked Cory questions.

"What?" I asked once we got far enough away so that the rest of the flock wouldn't be able to hear us. Angel would still know everything, but that couldn't really be helped.

He glared. "Have you been brain washed or something? Because if you were even _thinking,_ then you would have known better than to bring some random freak from off of the streets who claims to be one of us." I opened my mouth to argue but he held up one hand to stop me. "And besides, she could very easily be lying and it wouldn't be hard for her to disguise herself with that weird power of hers."

I hated it when he was right. I really did. But there was just something about Cory that made me want to trust her. She couldn't possibly be lying. I knew it deep down in my gut. "You sound just like Jeb," I mumbled angrily under my breath.

Fang's eyes widened, but the blank expression quickly returned. "Jeb told you all of that and you _still_ trusted her? That's it, we're taking you to a hospital. You've obviously hit your head really hard or have just gone crazy."

"Gee, thanks." Before he could say anything else, I turned and walked back towards the flock, who were all making awkward attempts at talking to Cory. I guess their people skills leave much to be desired.

"Ok guys," I said loudly, clapping my hands together. "Time for bed." They scattered and found different spots around the cave, staying close to the fire. Fang was the only one who didn't lie down, so I assumed he was taking first watch tonight.

I lied down and held out my fist. Everyone else stacked theirs on top of mine and I tapped each fist. Cory raised an eyebrow at our little ritual, but then smiled and shrugged. I noticed that she was the farthest away and was turned away from everyone else. It made sense, I guess. I mean, despite all of my arguing, she was still a stranger to us.

I didn't dwell on that and closed my eyes. "'Night, guys."

A chorus of "good night's" answered me and I slowly drifted to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**guess what? I'm still alive!! it might seem a little hard to believe since it took me more than two week to update (hangs head in shame) but now I have a better idea of where this story is going. don't worry, the action picks up a little after the next chapter. and i prbly shouldn't ask seeing as i've been horrible with the whole updating, but this story has something like 640 hits, but only 7 reviews. so just a little feedback? pwease insert puppy dog pout? o and just in case u haven't gotten the message yet, i don't own maximum ride, which means i don't own iggy sob. o well, on with the story!**

**3bookcrazy1373**

* * *

Chapter 9

I felt a hand on my shoulder shaking me slightly. "No," I murmured, my eyes still closed. "Go away."

"Come on, Max," I heard Iggy whisper. "It's your watch."

I sighed and opened my eyes. Once they adjusted, I looked up at Iggy's pale face above me. "Okay, go back to sleep Iggy. I'm getting up."

He smiled slightly and nodded his head, walking over to his spot. I could already hear his light snores as I stood up to go sit near the mouth of the cave.

The sky was still dark and I guessed it was about three in the morning, meaning I'd have to wake everyone up in about four hours. I sighed again and laid my head back against the rock. I was still tired and kind of sore from the marathon flying we had been doing a few days ago. I tried to keep alert as I watched the horizon for any signs of trouble, but my eyes felt so heavy. I could feel a fog coming over my mind as I began to doze off…

I jolted awake a few minutes later, my senses on high alert. I could've sworn I just heard something move. I looked over at the dark shapes of the flock around the blackened remains of the fire and at Cory over by the cave wall.

_Great, Max,_ I thought. _I guess you really _are _crazy._ I shook my head and turned back to the horizon, forcing my eyes to stay wide open so that I wouldn't fall asleep again.

"Hey."

I gasped and practically jumped out of my skin. However, I recognized the voice, so I turned and glared. "Geez, Fang! Give me a little warning next time. You scared me half to death!" I scolded.

Fang chuckled a little as he walked closer so I could see him. However, there was very little humor in his dark eyes. "Sorry."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure you are." I looked closer and could see dark circles under his eyes. I frowned. "Why don't you go back to sleep? You have to be exhausted."

He shrugged. "It's okay. I'll go to sleep again, but I have to talk to you first. This was the only chance I had to catch you alone."

My frown deepened. God, how many times could he tell me the same thing? "For the last time, Fang, Cory is not a spy."

Fang shook his head. "That's not what I want to talk to you about, at least not exactly. It has to do with Cory though." He paused. "I still think you're nuts because of that, by the way."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Fang spoke first.

"No, what I came to talk about is what exactly is the plan now with Cory? I mean, I don't really think she should become a part of the flock, even if she's… my sister. I still don't believe that either, just for the record."

His question caught me a little off guard, so I had to think about it for a second. The answer came to me quickly, though. "When we were talking earlier, it sounded to me like Cory knew what she was going to do. She was going to find her brother – you – and then go to see your parents and live with them. I don't think she wants to join the flock. She just wants to live… normal. And I think we should help her and then get back to bringing down Itex." I looked at Fang to see his reaction. I wasn't expecting to get much (this is _Fang_ we're talking about), so I was surprised when I saw his face.

He looked stunned, as if someone had just slapped him. His jaw had dropped and everything. I blinked a few times in surprise. "Uh, Fang, are you – " Then, I remembered. I had never told Fang that Cory knew where his parents were. I gasped. "Oh my gosh, I totally forgot! I'm sorry! I - "

Fang held up one hand to stop me and I shut my mouth. He looked like he had gained some composure, but he still seemed kind of daze, obviously. "She knows where my parents are?" he whispered.

I nodded and was about to say something but stopped. "Wait a second, I thought that you didn't believe that she was your sister?"

He looked at me, almost angrily. "I didn't! I mean, I still don't, but God, Max! You just told me that there is someone who I can talk to right now _without_ getting locked up in a cage who knows where my parents are. If she's not a spy, that is," he added.

"Good point," I said, smiling sheepishly. There was one question I was just dying to ask, but I didn't want to know the answer. Because even though I was dying to ask it, if the answer was yes, I could possibly die. Okay, so maybe that's a little dramatic. But still, I had to know, even if I really didn't want to. "Fang, if they really are your parents, do you think, you know…"

He looked at me, confusion mixing with the shock. Fang showing emotions was sure going to take some getting used to. "No, I don't know actually."

I turned my gaze back to the sky, which was beginning to lighten up. "Do you think you'll stay with them, too?" I asked quietly.

He replied quickly, his voice also quiet. "Isn't the answer obvious, Max?"


	10. Chapter 10

**hello all!! here's chapter 10. sorry it's kinda boring, but i needed it to set up another part of the story. things pick up again next chapter. things'll start moving pretty quickly (hopefully). well, thanks! and please review. i kno this story isn't perfect and i could use suggestions! o and if it isn't obvious, i don't own maximum ride.**

**bookcrazy137**

Chapter 10

"_Isn't the answer obvious, Max?"_

I'm pretty sure my heart stopped beating during that second. I couldn't be absolutely positive, seeing as I was preoccupied by the fact that I wasn't breathing, either. When the cave started spinning, I sucked in a deep breath of air.

What did he mean the answer was obvious? I mean, I knew that Fang loved the flock almost if not as much as I did. But the chance to have parents…a real mother, and not just his best friend who was the same age as him and bossed every one around like a mother… that was something totally different. The choice between Dr. Martinez and the flock was easy for me, but I couldn't read Fang's mind, so I had no way of knowing how he would choose.

It took all I had to keep my voice even when I said, "Just tell me, please." _Dear God, if he says he's going to stay with his parents, I don't know what I'll do._ Losing Iggy that one time had been bad enough, even if it only lasted a few days. But Fang was like my right wing. I had no idea what I would do without him.

In that strange way of his, Fang noticed that I was in distress. He put a hand on my shoulder to comfort me. "Max, I could never leave you and the rest of the flock. You know that. Who needs parents? I've gone this long without them."

I nodded, relief flooding over me. I was so happy, I almost started to cry, and coming from me, that's saying something. I looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks."

He smiled very slightly back at me. We just stood there looking at each other for a few minutes. I had this weird feeling all over, almost like I was warm and comfortable, yet on edge at the same time. I suddenly thought of the time Fang had kissed me in that other cave. A blush crept over my cheeks and I looked away from his dark eyes quickly.

He turned away, too, and said, "Um, I think I should go to sleep now." I just nodded and kept my gaze away from him. I listened to his footsteps on the stone floor and the rustling of his clothes as he twisted to find a comfortable position. Eventually, his breathing slowed into the regular pattern of sleep.

I pulled my knees up to my chest. Ugh, this couldn't be good. I was definitely going to have to do some thinking on this. I couldn't start blushing and stuttering whenever I talked to Fang.

I scanned the horizon and watched our surrounding alertly, now fully awake. The sun was almost fully up, lighting the dark forest below on fire and warming the cool rock of the cave. I sighed and smiled, looking out at the scenery. As much as being on the run took its toll on me and the rest of the flock, there were always those times, moments like this, where it seemed like everything was perfect and I was totally sure that even if we weren't always completely comfortable or safe, I didn't regret any of the times we had ever spent together.

I shook my head, clearing the momentary mushiness. I stood up to wake up everyone else and my eyes flicked over to where Cory was. There was a slight frown on her face and she turned in her sleep, muttering something incomprehensible.

I looked away from her and at the flock. A smile spread involuntarily across my face, but quickly disappeared. As nice as Cory was, I found myself hoping that we could find Fang's parents quickly so that we could get on with our lives. Even though she was Fang's sister, no one seemed comfortable around her, especially not Fang.

_You don't even know if she's Fang's sister,_ a tiny voice in the back of my mind said. I shook my head. I was starting to think like Fang.

I took a step forward and reached out to shake Iggy's shoulder a little. Then a voice came up from behind me.

"What's up?"


End file.
